Slow Drivers

First week of driving in "traffic" - at 630am, the road to the City of Melbourne is already filled with cars. I hate to even think of what 7-8am is like.

Found myself getting frustrated with people who were obviously under the speed limit - "Dont they read the signs?" "Its dangerous driving!". So thought I'd see wat the web said about it....

An American magazine reported this

Too slow in High speed lane by Cortney Caldwell (Road and travel magazine)

We all know that speeding is against the law. Why? Because most of us aren't trained or experienced in handling a vehicle at a high rate of speed... That said, isn't it also dangerous to drive too slowly in the high-speed lane? The answer is yes. So why then do so many people do it?

... What is their problem? Don't they understand the basic concept of fast and slow? And does it frustrate as many other drivers as it does me?

... When drivers drive too slow ..many dangerous situations can occur. First, it creates a long line of frustrated drivers behind the slow poke. Most wait patiently in hopes the slow guy pulls over, but others will begin to tailgate.

..Some drivers get so frustrated, they pull out of the lane in a fit of anger, pass on the right to catch up to the culprit just so they can send a message with a digit, or mouth some idiotic phrase that the guilty driver can't hear anyway.

...If you're a frustrated driver who finds himself behind a slow-goer, flash your high beams a few times. Most people will respond to this. Let's face it, we've all been there when we're plodding along unaware that we've slowed down.

...For you faster drivers who want someone to move over, give him or her a gentle nudge with the flash of your headlights a few times, or a little beep-beep from your horn. Give them a chance to respond and react. And when they do, send a wave of appreciation, not the international digit of disapproval.

..So the last question remains. What do you do if you flash your lights for two miles and the slow poke still won't move? That, my friends, is your decision and yours alone. Just make sure that whatever you do, it doesn't endanger your life or those around you on the freeway, nor escalate the anger further.

In Australia Dangers of life in the slow lane By A Smith, Feb 28, 2005 Sydney Morning Herald

Stuck behind a dawdler on a Sunday afternoon? Don't blame the greying hair behind the wheel. It may be the undersized road signs and poorly lit streets slowing the driver down.

...After recording the speeds and drivers of 6480 cars in Perth and surveying 240 licence holders, a team from Murdoch and Monash universities has found that speeding is no longer the only danger on the roads. "Slow driving, though widely once believed to be the safest form of driving, is, however, not without risk," says the team's study, published in the journal Ergonomics. The slowest drivers were the elderly, the study finding that people over 55 drove on average almost seven kilometres under the speed limit....

"When asked about what causes people to drive slowly, by far the most popular factors were over-caution and lack of confidence," the study says. The study says that international research suggests that drivers over 65 struggle to drive and navigate at the same time.

"Large-scale media campaigns exhorting drivers to speed up is not an option that should be considered," the study says. Instead, it suggests, governments may need to redesign roads, make traffic signs larger, improve street lighting and toughen laws on slow driving on freeways.

Road rage: Out of control, How to avoid coming to blows Denise Cullen, The Age, 23/11/06

* Don't vent with small-scale obscene gestures such as swearing, which could increase the risk of retaliation.

* Practise courteous driving by such actions as allowing cars to pass even if they're speeding, and using some form of signal as an apology for a driving mistake.

* Don't react (by accelerating, braking or swerving suddenly) if being hassled by another driver.

* Find out how to get to your destination ahead of time, and avoid peak traffic periods.

* Make sure your windshield is clean - peering through a dirty windshield is a common source of stress and fatigue when driving.

* Don't grip the steering wheel too hard. This tenses arm and neck muscles, leading to fatigue symptoms such as headaches.

* Improve the driving environment by listening to soothing music (rather than anger-inducing talkback radio), and adjust climate controls to a comfortable level.

* Take a deep breath and focus your concentration on driving, pushing aside other issues before you get into the car.

* Vary your schedule to avoid the worst times for traffic congestion, and allow plenty of time for the journey.

Adapted from Inquiry into Violence Associated with Motor Vehicle Use - Final Report

Easier said than done...